Nursing Program for Low GPA

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Hi!

I read the other thread about this, but I felt like I needed a bit more advice. I'm a rising senior at a good undergrad school with a terrible GPA (2.4). I hate my major (Chemistry) and I'm not doing well in my science classes. After working with a lot of nurses (I've worked at Health Services as a student aid for 3 years), I realized that I would love to pursue nursing. But I obviously don't have the academics for it. It's my senior year already, and I'm running out of options. I've worked with a lot of doctors, nurses, and PAs over the years and they all agree that I have what it takes to be in the medical profession; but the academic courses are really killing me. I'm frustrated beyond words with myself and I don't know how to turn my life around. What are the steps that I need to make to make this dream a possibility?

I find this post rather rude. I had some hiccups during my AA degree, especially in Bio. I failed College Algebra, really bringing down my GPA. When I decided to become a nurse, I aced AP1/2, Micro, Stats and Nutrition on my first try, which my school weighs heavily. Also, my school only counted the courses toward their degree in your GPA, so my Bio and College Algebra grade wasn't even looked at.

I got into a highly competitive, respected BSN program in the best medical center in the world (I am a little partial) and I start my last semester in the fall and I'm managing with a decent GPA.

I could have made this exact post 3 years ago and you probably would have given me the same not so pleasant advice. And you would have been wrong.

To the OP- GO FOR IT. Find out your schools requirements and work your butt off to meet them. You CAN do it.

To Guide- Please try to live up to your name and guide people rather than discouraging them.

I'd also like to point out that suggesting psych as an alternative is kind of ridiculous-- since it takes a PhD to get anywhere in the field.

I agree! Take everything as advice and that's IT, what people say here are only suggestions and opinions not directions to your life. You hold the ultimate position to lay all your cards on the table and see what you can do with them. What you have (OP) as of right now, has a starting point, and there are plenty of schools in every state with different requirements and paths to eventually be an RN.

If you want it bad enough, you will get to it. Looks like you have work to do, either getting into a LPN program and then going on to a bridge LPN to RN program or redoing some coursework to improve your GPA.

However, if this is just another bright idea and you have no real drive behind it then you will stand still in the water. Like my Mom used to say..."If the water is still and you want to get moving...MAKE WAVES!".

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Oncology, Neurology, Rehab.
Hi!

I read the other thread about this, but I felt like I needed a bit more advice. I'm a rising senior at a good undergrad school with a terrible GPA (2.4). I hate my major (Chemistry) and I'm not doing well in my science classes. After working with a lot of nurses (I've worked at Health Services as a student aid for 3 years), I realized that I would love to pursue nursing. But I obviously don't have the academics for it. It's my senior year already, and I'm running out of options. I've worked with a lot of doctors, nurses, and PAs over the years and they all agree that I have what it takes to be in the medical profession; but the academic courses are really killing me. I'm frustrated beyond words with myself and I don't know how to t

urn my life around. What are the steps that I need to make to make this dream a possibility?

Can you afford to hire a tutor? or maybe utilize your schools tutor program. Not every nurse or doctor or medical professional are all A or B students. Some nurses had book knowledge and could not make it. You will know once you have a tutor I believe you will know whether or not you just need more study. Remember the movie BLIND SIDE, this football player HAD to have a tutor throught his high school and college. Blessings to you.

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Here in AZ they take all your previous course grades.I have a bachelors degree and its all included in my overall GPA. In my application it ask you to list all colleges and release all transcripts.

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Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.

Don't feel bad about your GPA. Chemistry is one of the hardest majors with average chem majors having sub-3.0 GPA. Even very strong students struggle with it. Nursing pre-reqs are more about volume, but only a few concepts are hard to understand.

If I were you, I would finish the degree and try to do as well as possible. Then take pre-reqs at community college, Ace the courses, and apply for ADN programs. ADN generally only look at your pre-req GPA and test scores. After ADN, go for a bridge program.

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Specializes in ONC, Med-Surg, Outpatient.

elle333,

Tutoring can help. Sometimes when you hear information from another persons view, you comprehend better.

Do you know what type of learning style you have? I think that if you understand what type of learner you are, you will succeed.

If you do not know, there are online test that can help.

Here are some links:

http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=questionnaire

What's Your Learning Style? 20 Questions

What's Your Style

Hope this helps :)

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I so agree with this!! Chemistry major is very difficult.

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I failed my first year of college and thanks to having the ability to retake classes and replace previous grades with A's & B's, my GPA is a 3.1. If you have the determination, you can fix your hiccups. And don't listen to the discouraging people out there! I'm not saying it will be easy, but if you want it enough, you can do it :)

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Hey sr20alex! Which LVN program did you get into?

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What was it about the academics that were difficult for you? Was it a lack of motivation? Been there, feeling much more motivated and doing much better now that I'm pre-nursing. Was it difficulty of the classes? Chem is hard for sure, but so is nursing school proper. Do you have a disability like ADD or dyslexia that might be helped with accommodations?

Only you can answer these kinds of questions and figure out whether you can get it together enough for nursing.

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When I first graduated from college (with a 2.48 GPA) I went to a lot of Open Houses at Nursing programs in my area. When I spoke with an admissions counselor at the school I would have LOVED to go to and told him about my situation and he told me THIS! ---

Take your time! The amount of time that passes between your "old bad gpa" and you "new awesome GPA at XYZ school" is really important. You need to be able to show a pattern of success over time, not just that you can do well for one semester.

So my best advice is to retake your science classes, take a few "fluff" classes (I took Computer Applications, a Literature class, etc.), and take your time, at a new school, after you graduate. I did it at a community college so it was less expensive.

Hard work and time can open a lot of doors :-)

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I have a low GPA as well, like 2.8gpa overall and science is like 2.8/9 as well. It seem pretty hopeless for me in becoming a nurse. I went to CSULA to apply for their program and they ended up telling me to change my major since my grades weren't good enough. A few months later I got into a LVN program. They didn't check your GPA, they just do a variety of different test and select who would be the best to fill those spots. Top of it all, I only have to pay $2k out of my own pocket!

If you really want to be a nurse, you'll find a way

I'm in a similar situation and was also looking into csula. Any advice?

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Hey if you dont mind me asking where is this program located?

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